Index holder



Oct. 29, 1929. LE Rol E. HUTCHINGS INDEX HOLDER Filed NOV. l1, 1927 Patented 0ct. 29, 1929 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LE ROI E. HUTCHINGS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO REMINGTON BAND INC., 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

INDEX HGLDER Application iled November 11, 1927. Serial No. 232,542.

This invention relates to improvements in index devices and particularly to an index holder having a plurality of foldable sections formed with a portion provided for receiving an index element.

rlhis invention further provides an index device in which a holder 'sheet has a series of card holders hingedly connected to opposite edge portions thereof, and an index-carrying element mounted on one of the margins, so that a series of index cards may be retained by the holder in folded relation and mounted in vertical relation on edge in a file drawer.

A. further object of the invention resides in providing a folder formed of a single sheet of material folded to provide a plurality of cardholding sections hingedly connected at opposite edges of one of said sections, and having a portion for receiving a transparent sheath adapted to mount an index element and a signal, for indexing and indicating activity of the filed subject matter, which folder is adapted to stand on edge in a ile cabinet, the transparent sheath also providing a protecting portion for the edge of the folder to prevent wear in handling. a

Another object of the invention resides in providing a folder formed with a plurality of sections hingedly connected adjacent opposite edges of one of said sections and adapted to support index cards for simultaneous display in the unfolded relation of the sheet, and to retain and protect said cards in folded relation with the several sections superposed one upon the other for, filing on edge, a suitably transparent sheath protecting the upper edge of the folder and remov ably receiving a suitable index element and signal when desired.

The invention further comprehends the provision of a sheet folded to provide a series of relatively movable card supporting portions adapted to be moved into folded relation when not in use, said folder being formed` with'marginal sections at opposite sides, one of which is adapted to receive suitable means for attaching it to a supporting bar in a panel, while the other margin is adapted to receive a protective sheath for supporting an index element so that the folder may be used in visible index equipment.

The invention comprehends numerous other objects residing in the specific construction of the folder and the special formation of the several parts all of which are more particularly pointed out in the following detailed description and claims, directed to a preferred form of the invention, it being understood that various changes in the size, shape and relation of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein set forth.

In the drawing forming part of this application:

Fig. 1 is a perspective showing a portion of a file with several of the improved folders provided by this invention positioned therein in filed relation, some of the folders being shown diagrammatically.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of one of the folders in opened relation to provide access to the filed cards.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the margin of the folder provided with the sheath, illustrating how an index element is mounted therein.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of a similar form of holder in which the relation of the hinged card holders is reversed and which is provided with metal holders for attachment to a supporting bar in the panel of an index tray so that a series of folders may be carried in visible indexed relation.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 5 5 of Fig. 4 showing the mounting of the metal clip.

The improved index holder forming the subject matter of this invention includes a sheet member generally indicated at 1 which is formed to provide a holder sheet or portion 2 in the central portion at the upper and lower edges of which the sheet is folded as indicated at 3. The portion of the sheet adjacent the folds 3 is superposed on the adjacent portion of the holder sheet to provide a pair of strip portions 4 and 5 respectively. The end portions of the sheet extending from these strip portions form card holders 6 and are hingedly connected tothe strip portions 4 and 5 respectively through the perforated hinge construction L The holder sheet and the card holders are each formed with a series of slots 8 adjacent the corner portions thereof for receiving the corners of cards, sheets or other matter indicated at 9, to be led and indexed. The strip portions 4 and 5 are each secured to the adjacent margin of the holder sheet by the wire stitches 10.

A transparent celluloid sheath 11 is formed of a strip of material folded longitudinally 1n its central portion as indicated at 12 and having one edge portion folded inwardly as at 13 to provide a guideway 14. The sheath 1s applied over the strip portion 4 and the adjacent fold and marglnal portion of the holder sheet and secured to the holder sheet by the stitches 10 which also secures the strip portion 4 to the holder sheet. An index element in the form of a strip 15 may be provided with suitable indexing` indicia and inserted in the sheath by engagement in the guideway 14 as shown in Fig. 3. The sheath will effectively retain its index strip therein for indexing the file matter in the holder. A suitable form of signal 16 may also be used in connection with this device for indicating the activity of the file by insertion in the sheath which will retain it in the desired signaling position.

This holder is so constructed that the card holder 6 hinged to the strip 4 is wider than the distance between the hinges 7 at opposite margins of the holder sheet, while the card holder 6 hinged to the strip 5 is shorter than the distance between the hinges. This permits the card holder 6 on the strip 5 to be folded flat against the holder sheet while the other card holder hinged to the strip 4 may be folded over this last-mentioned card holder in superposed relation. This provides that the card holders may be folded in only one relation so that the outer card holder of the device has its free edge at the bottom of the lile when inserted into the drawer as shown in Fig. 1. This provides for uniformity and convenient manipulation o f the folders in ling in order to avoid difficulties in the card holders of adjacent folders becoming inte-rengaged with each other or the sheaths. The fold 3 adjacent the strip 5 forms a strong supporting and wearing edge for the whole folder while the holder sheet effectively supports the folder in the file so that. all of the ysheaths will terminate in substantially the same horizontal plane in the ile drawer and be readily operable to provide access to the index elements and signals in the sheaths.

This holder may also be adapted for vuse in visible index equipment in which case the position of the folds may be reversed so that the free edge of the outer card holder will terminate adjacent to the sheath while the strip portion 3 and the adjacent margin of the holder sheet will serve to mount the means used to secure the holder in a panel of a visible index device. If desired, metal clips or holders as shown at 17 in Fig. 4 may be engaged throughthe slots 18 .in the strip portion 8 and the holder sheet which are adapted for detachableconnection to suitable supporting wires 19 mounted in the tray 20. Any of the other Well-known methods of mounting f' card holders and cards in visible indexed relation may also be employed.

From the above description, it should be observed that a folder is provided for a series of cards or sheets to be filed which will detachably mount the same and will effectively protect the cards whenv not in use against the usual wear and at the same time provide an index support by which the filed matter may be conveniently indexed for ready reference. This also provides for the signalling of desired information, at the same time providing the filed matter in such a convenient form that it is readily accessible.

Another feature of the invention is the convenient indexing of a series of sheets mounted in a folder so that it may be readily segregated from other folders and opened to provide access to the entire contents of the file. The invention includes the provision of a combined folder for supporting a series of cards, a sheath for protecting the folder and supporting the indexing slips and signals. In the folded relation of the card holders, the outer card holder normally hangs downwardly and in engaging over the other card holder acts to retain it in folded position against movement on its hinge.

What is claimed is 1. An index holder, comprising a holder sheet, a plurality of card holders hinged to the edge portions of said sheet, and an indexcarrying element mounted on one of said edge portions of said holder sheet.

2. A11 index holder, comprising a holder sheet, a plurality of card holders hinged to the edge portions of said holder sheet, an index-carrying element mounted on one of said edge portions, and means for detachably mounting said holder sheet on an index support.

3. An index holder, comprising a holder sheet, and a plurality of card holders hinged to opposite margins of said holder sheet, said card holders normally extending toward each other in overlapping substantially superposed relation, a transparent sheath enclosing one margin of said holder sheet, and a single means securing the sheath, holder sheet and card holder adjacent said sheath in assembled relation.

4. An index holder, comprising a. holder sheet, a pair of holder cards each having one marginal portion hingedlv connected to the remaining portion of the card, and means 5 securing the marginal portions of said holder lcards to the opposite marginal portions of said holder sheet.

5. An index holder, comprising a holder sheet, a pair of card holders having strip portions adjacent one margin hingedly secured to the remaining portion of the card and means securing said strip portions of said card holders to the adjacent edges of said holder sheet, said card holders normally extending toward one another in superposed relation on said holder sheet, the card-holding portion of one card holder being of less width than the distance between the hinge portions for said card holders, and the width ot' the other card holder being greater than the dist-ance between said hinge portions, whereby said card holders may only be folded in one relation.

6. An index holder, comprising a holder sheet, a pair of card holders having a strip portion hingedly connected to the card holding portion at one edge, means securing the strip portions or said card holders along opposite edge portions ot said holder sheet, a transparent sheath enclosing one margin of said holder sheet and one of said strip portions, said means serving to secure said sheath to said holder sheet, said sheath being jformed to slidably receive an index element for said holder.

7 An index holder, comprising a holder sheet, a pair of card holders having a strip portion hingedly connected to the card holding portion at one edge, means securing the strip portions of said card holders along opposite edge portions ot said holder sheet, a transparent sheath enclosing one margin of said holder sheet and one of said strip portions, said means serving to secure said sheath to said holder sheet.i and a signal slidably mounted in said sheath for signalling cooperation with said index holder.

8. An index holder, comprising a sheet having a pair ot folded strip portions extending transversely of the sheet intermediate the ends in spaced parallel relation to provide.

a holder section, and a pair of holder cards, said sheet being formed to provide flexible hinges between said holder cards and said strip portions, said holder cards being adapted to be moved on their hinges into folded superposed'relation on said holder section, and means on said holder section and said lcard holders 'for detachably mounting cards and sheets for filing.

9. An index holder, comprising a sheet having the central section formed to provide a holder section. strip portions adjacent said holder section Jfolded at the juncture with said section and superposed on the margins thereof, means uniting said strip portions to the marginal portions of said holder section, and card holders formed by the ends lor" said sheet and hingedly connected to said strip portions.

10. An index holder, comprising a sheet having the central section formed to provide a holder section, strip portions vadjacent said holder section folded at the juncture with said section and superposed on the margins thereof, means uniting said strip portions to the marginal portions of said holder section, and card holders formed at the ends of said sheet and hingedly connected to said strip portions, one of said card holders having a width less than the distance between the hinges, and the other card holder being of a width greater than the distance between the hinges, whereby said cardholders may be folded in only one relation on said holder section.

1 1. An index holder, comprising a sheet having the central section formed to provide a holder section, strip portions adjacent said holder section folded at the juncture with said section and superposed on the margins thereof, means uniting said strip portions to the marginal portions of said holder section, card holders formed at the ends of said sheet and hingedly connected to said strip portions, and a transparent sheath enclosing one margin or" said holder section and one of said strip portions and formed for removably receiving an index element.

l2. An index tile comprising a pair of holder portions, one of said holder portions having a marginal strip hingedly connected thereto and secured to the marginal portion of the other holder portion, and a transparent sheath enclosing said strip and marginal portion and formed to detachably receive an index element.

13. An index filepcomprising a pair of holder portions, oneof said portions having a strip hingedly secured to one margin thereof, said strip being superposed on one margin of the other holder portion in coincident relation, a transparent sheath enclosing said strip and marginal portion, and means securing said strip and sheath to the marginal portion of said other holder portion.

le. An index iile comprising a pair of holder portions, one of said portions having a marginal strip hingedly secured to the remainder of said holder portion, means securing said marginal strip in coincident superposed relation on one margin of the other holder portion, and means on each of said holder portions for detachably securing sheets and cards to be filed thereto.

15. An index file comprising a pair of holder portions, one of said portions having a marginal strip hingedly secured to the remainder of said holder portion, means securing said marginal strip in coincident superposed relation on one margin of the othe-r holder portion, means on each of said holder portions for detachably securing sheets and cards to be filed thereto, and means or supportin an index element in detachable relation a jacent to said strip portion.

16. An index file comprising a pair of holder portions, one of said holder portions having a. marginal strip hingedl connected with the remainder of said hol er ortion, means on each of said holder detachably mounting matter to e filed, said strip portion being secured in superposed coincident relation on one margin of the other holder portion, a transparent sheath enclosing said strip portion and marginal portion, and an index element detachably supported in said sheath.

17. An index file comprising a folded sheet providing a pair of holder portions, one of said holder portions having a strip section adjacent said fold secured to the other holder portion, said strip portion having a hinge connection with the remainder of said holder portion, and a transparent sheath enclosing said strip portion and the adjacent portion of the other holder and formed for detachably mounting an index element.

LE ROI E. HUTCHINGS. 

